


He's Always Okay

by Tsushi



Category: Lupin III
Genre: M/M, car crash warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:13:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28821288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsushi/pseuds/Tsushi
Summary: Lupin trusts that Zenigata will be able to handle anything he throws at him. But what if he can’t?A short LuZeni fic
Relationships: Arsène Lupin III/Zenigata Kouichi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 61





	He's Always Okay

“Will Pops be alright?” Goemon asked.

Nearby, a helicopter crashed. Goemon flinched, trying not to turn around and look.

Lupin chuckled, and drove on, not tempted in the least to look back. “Of course he will, the Old Man wouldn’t be that nice to me!”

And he meant it, he always meant it.

His theory was confirmed as they heard a voice screaming from above, the Inspector screaming his name, drifting slowly, swaying wildly in his parachute.

—-

Jigen laughed and showed Lupin the view from the scope. “We should probably surface, Pops won’t let go of that rope until he drowns.”

Lupin peered through, perspective filled with a fish-eyed, watery scene: Zenigata’s determined glare, strong hands clutching the rope, handcuffs attached to the metal door of the submarine.

“Ahh I guess we should...” Lupin sighed.

Jigen brought them up for air. They both heard the man coughing up water, but it wasn’t long before he was pounding his feet against the steel door.

“Lupinnnnn!!!”

—-

“You play so rough with him,” Fujiko teased, as Lupin shot the cord that had held Zenigata firmly on to the landing gear of the airplane.

“He’s fine!” He grinned, “Always is. Want me to play rough with you too, Fujicakes?”

He reached for Fujiko’s ample bosom, but came away with empty hands and an eye roll for his efforts.

“You treat me like a princess or you can kiss this map goodbye.”

Lupin replied, saluting obediently. “Yes, your Highness!”

He didn’t even take notice of what happened to Pops. Lupin trusted him. It was part of the deal- not that they’d ever signed one, but it was their deal, all the same. It would only be a few days before his Inspector was on his trail again. That was the deal.

——

Jigen was tearing through the darkened streets of Chicago in the Fiat, a pro at work, they had lost almost every cop car on their tail. There were two left, but of course, one contained their persistent nuisance. 

Zenigata called through a bullhorn. “Surrender, Lupin! You’re not getting away!”

Goemon shook his head from the backseat. “Strange, he seems to truly believe that.”

Lupin’s face was alight with a wicked grin and snicker to go with it as he loaded his Walther, “He’s good at lying to himself.”

He leaned out the window of the Fiat. One cruiser had been steadily gaining on them, and he thought they might have more fun with one less wheel. The loud pop of the tire was followed by the harsh screech of rubber, someone breaking hard as they lost control of their car. Lupin watched as it swung, spinning uncontrollably into the car Zenigata was in. The sound of the impact, shattered glass, crumpled metal.

It was all routine enough, but something froze in him and Lupin watched, transfixed by the smoke and wreckage, unable to move. Seeing Zenigata’s arm hanging loose out of the side of the car. 

His stomach turned over at that, so he turned away. He pulled back into his chair, and let the wreck shrink away in the rearview window.

Jigen nodded approvingly, slowing to a more reasonable speed and turning off the traffic light changer.

“Looks like you got ‘em.”

Lupin’s mouth was dry, his response softer than he’d expected. “Yeah.” 

There was a haze of red and blue lights behind them. Reinforcements. Lupin could no longer see the car itself, but his brain filled in the imagery for him, cruisers pulling up to the wreck. Dragging Zenigata from the distorted, broken window. His body eerie in the cold blue glow.

“Well I, for one, want some damn whiskey and pizza.” Jigen smirked. “Let’s get crazy. Order every topping.” 

Goemon huffed, “Disgusting.”

“I thought anchovy and pineapple was your favorite!” Jigen teased.

“I would rather die.” Goemon replied, as serious and believable as anything.

Jigen flicked his eyes over to the thief, usually he would join in on the joke. “What’s up, Lupin? Just cheese for you tonight?”

“Whatever.” Lupin crossed his arms, tucking the Walther back into his leather jacket holster.

Jigen raised an eye. Something was bothering him, but it did no good to press him for details. Lupin was a stubborn bastard and the more you pushed, the tighter he locked the safe. But if you said nothing, then sure as shootin, he’d would bitch about it sooner or later. 

But maybe Jigen would never be the one to hear it. Jigen could respect that. A man deserved his privacy.

“Well we should get that uhhh.. deep dish. That’s what you’re supposed to get in Chicago! Goemon, order one!”

“I am not a pizza delivery service.”

“Coulda fooled me.” Jigen laughed. “Look man, I’m not asking you to deliver it, just use the phone to order so it’s done when we get there!”

“It seems the same to me.” Goemon grumbled, but acquiesced.

Lupin frowned and stared out the window, muttering, “Cops are terrible drivers. Shouldn’t even get into a damn car chase if you don’t know how to drive.”

“Yeah they should let us drive away instead. Save the budget they spend on new cars.” Jigen popped a fresh cigarette between his smiling lips.

—-

Jigen and Goemon shared two slices of the enormous sauce-covered pizza. Goemon only agreed to eat it after a significant amount of sake, at which point he argued that this must be some mistake and that it was lasagna instead.

His words slurred, but Goemon persisted. “There are layers of sauce, I insist it is pasta.”

Jigen leaned over the arm of the sofa,as loose as ever, but sloppy, uncoordinated. He gave the samurai a small, playful shove. “Oh, suddenly you’re the pasta expert, huuhh?”

Lupin had barely finished a single slice. He took most of the evening in an irate silence, drawing up a plan or two on scraps of paper, but in the end, he balled them up and threw them on the floor.

He stalked over and scowled down at the stolen painting. It was barely worth his time. It seemed so beneath his skill now that he had it, they didn’t put up a proper fight. Terrible security, lousy challenge.

That was what was frustrating him. Obviously. It wasn’t a lingering memory of a cop pulling a lifeless looking corpse from a car window and a nagging guilt that made him feel like the slice of pizza was stabbing him from the inside.

Lupin paced around the room. He thought they had a deal. This was not the deal. He had half a mind to go curse the Old Man out. Ruining his victory like this, what a sore loser Pops was.

“I’m going out.” Lupin declared, as he slipped on his shoes and scooped up the keys.

Goemon slurred out something nearly incoherent to see him off, which set Jigen into a fit of raucous laughter, which he was only able to interrupt with a gasped, “See ya later!”

Lupin got into the Fiat and leveled a nasty kick at the glove compartment, popping it open and pulling out a disguise. He yanked it down over his face, and barely spent a second straightening it. He looked notably ugly. But he couldn’t muster up the ability to care. He searched in his phone for nearby hospitals.

—-

It was 4am by the time Lupin got to Zenigata’s hospital room. The place was pretty dark, but even in the half lit room, the inspector looked like hell. Both eyes black, a swollen nose, a rigid cast around his arm and neck. And he looked much older than was polite: With his hat off, face up, Lupin could see the gray mixed in the black hair around his temples.

An old man.

Lupin sucked a harsh breath in through his teeth, almost involuntarily. There was nobody around, and he’d been holding back all night. There was only so long Lupin could keep this irritation locked away. But when it came out, it felt less like annoyance, and more like resignation.

“Maybe I need to tone it down...”

“Lupin?! I don’t want ya to go easy on me!”

It was only then Lupin noticed Zenigata hadn’t been asleep. The words were carried along on a ludicrous little wheeze, but that didn’t disguise any of the fury. He struggled to sit up, but his eyes were unmistakable in the pale light, turning toward Lupin, intense.

Pissed off.

“Never!” Zenigata waved his broken arm, trying to smash the cast into the nurse’s call button. “I’m already disappointin’ my ancestors that I haven’t put ya away for good, what the hell will they think if even my worst enemy pities me!?”

Lupin was glad he had his back to the door. Glad that his mask was askew. He didn’t want to know what his expression was right now. Sure as hell didn’t want Pops to know, either.

“You got pretty close to kicking the bucket, though. If I don’t take it easy on you, next time could be the end.”

“At least if I die chasin’ ya I’ll have an honorable death!”

The call button was affixed to a small remote, and Zenigata’s flailing managed to hit it. It fell to the ground, face up, useless. Undeterred, Zenigata turned his attention back to Lupin.

“Now, you pick that up and wait right here until they bring me my cuffs, ya hear me?”

Lupin stared at him, a smirk fixing itself to his lips. The relief flooded through him like a dam breaking. He walked over to Zenigata, and dutifully picked up the call button. He leaned in close to Zenigata’s ear and as he handed the surprised man the remote, whispered mischievously.

“Good. You better never go easy on me either, Pops. Never.”

Lupin couldn’t resist; he kissed his ear. Lupin’s soft lips pressed firmly against his skin, causing the prone Zenigata to nearly jerk his neck from the brace. And to definitely drop the remote again.

At least it landed button-side down, this time.

“Lupinnnnnnn!” He groaned in pain, face red, only his eyes able to follow as the nimble thief slipped out the open window.

“Get well soon~!”

**Author's Note:**

> A large part of the credit goes to a tweet thread by zenigashapon. Thanks Louie! Thank you to my wife Alexis Royce for beta-ing.
> 
> And thanks to all of you who take the time to leave me comments and enthusiasm on my fics for the past few months. It helps me keep going, so thank you all!


End file.
